Summer Treats

Beach Life

Come and discover some of the best beaches in
Britain. Many have won Blue Flag and Quality Coast
Awards We have six fantastic seaside
destinations - West Norfolk Coast, North Norfolk
Coast, Great Yarmouth, The Sunrise Coast, Suffolk
Coast and the Essex Sunshine Coast

- Have a sandcastle building competition.
- Take a dip (or paddle) in the sea.
- Relax on a lazy summer afternoon in a deckchair.
- Walk along the pier with an ice cream.
- Ride the latest white knuckle rides at the fun fair.
- Enjoy some of the country's best fish and chips.

There are also miles of unspoilt beaches - great for
seaside games, bracing walks, picnics and stone
skimming on the sea. Peer into rock pools to watch
their inhabitants, play hide and seek in the dunes,
go crabbing, or search for fossils and amber.

Click here for our Seaside section.

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Schools Out... for Summer!

Looking for a way to keep the children happy during
the school holidays? Then check out our great
selection of ideas - go on a mini-beast hunt, take
your favourite friend to a Teddy Bears Picnic, jump
aboard for a steam train ride with Thomas the Tank
Engine, get lost in a maize maze, or enjoy a trip on
the sea with the Wash Monster.

Click here to download our free 9 page Schools
Out... for Summer! information sheet.

Please note: this document is in pdf format, and
you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view or print.

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A Breath of Fresh Air

Enjoy walking for all ages and abilities in the East of
England. From a gentle stroll to a long distance trail,
our extensive network of footpaths and tracks
criss-cross the region's beautiful countryside.

With 250 miles (402 kilometres) of coastline, and a
superb selection of inland waters - the East of England offers lots of opportunities
to go 'messing about on the water'. Relax on a chauffeured punt in Cambridge;
enjoy the inspirational landscapes of artist John Constable by rowing boat; or
explore the reed-fringed waterways of The Broads aboard a self-drive craft.

Welcome to England's Cycling Country. Whether you regularly take your bicycle
on holiday, or simply like the idea of spending a few hours, or maybe a leisurely day
or two exploring on two wheels - the open fields, gentle hills and wooded valleys of
the East of England are perfect for all ages and abilities. 

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Picnic Pleasures

The East of England offers lots of places to eat 'al-fresco'. Why not pack your
hamper with some local food and drink goodies?

1. Grafham Water (nr. St. Neots) - Britain's third largest man-made reservoir. Enjoy a picnic on its shores whilst watching the sailing boats.

2. Sea Palling Beach - winner of the Picnic Awards in 2007, this lovely beach (with dunes) has plenty of golden sand to lay out your feast. 

3. Aldenham Country Park (nr. Elstree) - enjoy a picnic with Winnie the Pooh in the re-creation of the 100 Aker Wood. Make sure you pack some honey.

4. Marston Vale Millennium Country Park (Marston Moretaine, nr. Bedford) - work up an appetite with a walk around the wetland reserve.

5. Dunwich Beach - a former city lost to the sea, you may not need your picnic here as they serve delicious fish and chips right on the shingly beach.

6. River Lee Country Park (Broxbourne/Waltham Abbey area) - have a picnic, then explore on a canal boat trip.

Click here for our full listing of country parks in the region.

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Putting on the Ritz

Enjoy the style and glamour of The Ritz Club July Festival - at the home of
horseracing - Newmarket. This annual event is held amongst the
magnificent beech trees, thatched buildings and flowers of the July Racecourse.

Enjoy three days (Wednesday 9 to Friday 11 July) of classic horseracing, combined
with the charm and character of an English garden party. Dig out your best hat and
pack a luxury picnic, complete with some champagne and locally grown
strawberries. This is English summertime at its best. Prices are £35.00 for the
Premier Enclosure; £22 for the Grandstand/Paddock Enclosures. Further
information on +44 (0)1638 675500, or visit www.newmarketracecourses.co.uk

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Summer Madness

Every four years, the town of Great Dunmow is home to the Flitch Trials which sees
married couples trying to convince a judge and jury that for a year and a day they
have not wished themselves unmarried again. If successful they win a flitch - a
salted side of pork, are are paraded through the town in the Flitch chair.

World champions are crowned in July, with our fun pea shooting (Witcham, nr. Ely)
and snail racing (Congham, nr. King's Lynn) events. Can you beat ‘Archie' the
mollusc who speeded to victory in just two minutes? Otherwise, dig out your
sporran, and head to Harpenden for the pipe bands and caber tossing of
the Highland Gathering - the largest such event outside Scotland.

The East of England offers lots of places to eat 'al-fresco'. Why not pack your hamper with some local food and drink goodies?